Guyana’s ‘draft’ horse racing legislation submitted

…Sub-committee to review, says Minister Ramson

The much-anticipated draft of Guyana’s horse racing legislation has been submitted to Government, according to Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Charles Ramson Jr., who provided an update earlier this week during his community outreach in Berbice.
This legislation would establish a recognized Guyana Horse Racing Authority which would be tasked with regulating major stables, officials, jockeys, and handlers. According to Minister Ramson, a sub-committee would review the legislation draft in detail.
“It is completed in terms of the draft. It has already been approved to move to the sub-committee. In the next few weeks, the sub-committee will review in detail. Once it is approved and finalized, it is then approved to be laid (in) Parliament, then we have a debate,” Minister Ramson detailed.

The Sport Minister added: “I expect that to happen before the recess (of the National Assembly). The recess is in August, the first week in August. It is quite possible that the debate will be completed before the recess. If it does not, it won’t be much longer after the recess. I expect that once we complete the review and it is laid in Parliament, I don’t foresee a long time before we move towards the debate in Parliament.”
This initiative to govern horse racing in Guyana by legislation comes after previous attempts had been made in this regard in 2014; and key elements include provisions to address violations, expand the Authority’s membership, introduce term limits; and implement licensing for owners, jockeys and trainers.
This development is expected to bring clarity, structure, and oversight to the horse racing industry in Guyana, marking a significant step toward its formal recognition and regulation.
The next race day in the calendar of Guyana’s horse racing is July 14, when the Caricom horse race meet is held at the Port Mourant Turf Club on the Corentyne in Region Six. That event would be followed by the August 11 Guyana Cup, which would be hosted by the Jumbo Jet Thoroughbred Racing Committee at the Rising Sun Turf Club on the West Coast of Berbice in Region Five.